October 3, 2018
The New York Times Proves President Trump Is a Crook
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/10/president-trump-crook-new-york-times-proves.html
"One of the great accomplishments of Trump’s presidency has of course been to make America a place of even more unequal justice. The IRS budget for enforcement of tax cheating by the rich is collapsing. Trump is making the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency tasked with cracking down on fraudulent credit cards and banking, almost helpless. It has taken sundry other steps to protect corporations that rip off consumers from facing any consequences. Trump’s presidency will enable more Trumps. His career as white-collar criminal who ran for president as an alleged business genius is a metaphor for the exact thing he is doing as president. He is the crook who got away with it."
"One of the great accomplishments of Trump’s presidency has of course been to make America a place of even more unequal justice. The IRS budget for enforcement of tax cheating by the rich is collapsing. Trump is making the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency tasked with cracking down on fraudulent credit cards and banking, almost helpless. It has taken sundry other steps to protect corporations that rip off consumers from facing any consequences. Trump’s presidency will enable more Trumps. His career as white-collar criminal who ran for president as an alleged business genius is a metaphor for the exact thing he is doing as president. He is the crook who got away with it."
In Destroying Social Security, GOP Has No Plans for Elderly Americans
https://truthout.org/articles/in-destroying-social-security-gop-has-no-plans-for-elderly-americans/
"For decades, congressional Republicans have been rigorously supported by Republican presidents like George W. Bush and Donald Trump in vain attempts to steal the trillions from the “lock-box” of the self-sustaining Social Security Trust Fund. In 2017, it stood at $2.9 trillion, an astronomical sum that could easily cover those tax-cut bills today."
"For decades, congressional Republicans have been rigorously supported by Republican presidents like George W. Bush and Donald Trump in vain attempts to steal the trillions from the “lock-box” of the self-sustaining Social Security Trust Fund. In 2017, it stood at $2.9 trillion, an astronomical sum that could easily cover those tax-cut bills today."
GOP congressman lies to his constituents about his vote for Obamacare repeal
https://thinkprogress.org/gop-iowa-congressman-david-young-pretends-he-stood-up-to-party-pre-existing-conditions-95f66a6ac579/
"Rep. David Young (R-IA) voted for TrumpCare but hopes his constituents won't notice."
"Rep. David Young (R-IA) voted for TrumpCare but hopes his constituents won't notice."
October 2, 2018
Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/02/us/politics/donald-trump-tax-schemes-fred-trump.html
"President Trump participated in dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright fraud, that greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents, an investigation by The New York Times has found. Mr. Trump won the presidency proclaiming himself a self-made billionaire, and he has long insisted that his father, the legendary New York City builder Fred C. Trump, provided almost no financial help. But The Times’s investigation, based on a vast trove of confidential tax returns and financial records, reveals that Mr. Trump received the equivalent today of at least $413 million from his father’s real estate empire, starting when he was a toddler and continuing to this day. Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings."
"President Trump participated in dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright fraud, that greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents, an investigation by The New York Times has found. Mr. Trump won the presidency proclaiming himself a self-made billionaire, and he has long insisted that his father, the legendary New York City builder Fred C. Trump, provided almost no financial help. But The Times’s investigation, based on a vast trove of confidential tax returns and financial records, reveals that Mr. Trump received the equivalent today of at least $413 million from his father’s real estate empire, starting when he was a toddler and continuing to this day. Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings."
Donald Trump got at least $413 million from his father while committing 'outright fraud'
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/2/1800900/-Donald-Trump-got-at-least-413-million-from-his-father-while-committing-outright-fraud
"According to the New York Times, Donald Trump engaged in a series of “dubious tax schemes … including outright fraud” to funnel at least $413 million in funds from his father’s pocket to his own. It’s not just that Trump inherited much of his father’s empire upon the death of Fred Trump. Tens of millions of dollars poured down on Donald Trump from the time he was a toddler. Donald Trump’s “salary” at the age of 3 was $200,000 a year. He wasn’t just born on third base: his father bought him the stadium. Donald Trump has long pretended to be a “self-made” man. Sure, he grew up in gold-plated luxury. Yes, he was walked through private school, prep school, and private college with a bag of money buying his way. And okay, so he did take a million or two from his pop to get things started. But then … well, as it turns out the several million dollars that Trump’s father continued to slip him to prop up his flailing casinos and tottering real estate schemes was just a fraction of what really flooded from Trump the Elder to Trump the Bone Spurier. Trump didn’t even learn to lie, swindle, and scam on his own. That also came from his old man. Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings. The total amount that slid from Trump’s parents to Donald and his siblings was over $1 billion. That massive level of gift should have netted over half a billion in taxes for the IRS. Instead they not only paid a mere 5 percent of what they owned, Trump and his family used their sham corporations to actually take a tax break from these transfers."
"According to the New York Times, Donald Trump engaged in a series of “dubious tax schemes … including outright fraud” to funnel at least $413 million in funds from his father’s pocket to his own. It’s not just that Trump inherited much of his father’s empire upon the death of Fred Trump. Tens of millions of dollars poured down on Donald Trump from the time he was a toddler. Donald Trump’s “salary” at the age of 3 was $200,000 a year. He wasn’t just born on third base: his father bought him the stadium. Donald Trump has long pretended to be a “self-made” man. Sure, he grew up in gold-plated luxury. Yes, he was walked through private school, prep school, and private college with a bag of money buying his way. And okay, so he did take a million or two from his pop to get things started. But then … well, as it turns out the several million dollars that Trump’s father continued to slip him to prop up his flailing casinos and tottering real estate schemes was just a fraction of what really flooded from Trump the Elder to Trump the Bone Spurier. Trump didn’t even learn to lie, swindle, and scam on his own. That also came from his old man. Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings. The total amount that slid from Trump’s parents to Donald and his siblings was over $1 billion. That massive level of gift should have netted over half a billion in taxes for the IRS. Instead they not only paid a mere 5 percent of what they owned, Trump and his family used their sham corporations to actually take a tax break from these transfers."
How Our Air and Water Will Grow More Toxic Under Trump
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-mercury-poison-731648/
"Exhibit A: On Sunday, The New York Times reported that the administration is planning to roll back mercury regulations on coal-fired power plants. Mercury, as most people know, is one of the most toxic substances on earth. It is potentially harmful to everyone, but pregnant women and children are by far the most vulnerable. How toxic is mercury? Consider this: In 1997, Dr. Karen Wetterhan, a researcher at Dartmouth College, accidentally spilled a single drop of dimethylmercury, a highly concentrated form often used in lab research, on her hand. She didn’t worry about it — she was wearing latex gloves. She washed the mercury off immediately and didn’t think about it again until five months later, when she began bumping into walls and slurring her words. Her doctors were not able to diagnose what was wrong, then she told them about the drop of mercury. They did a blood test: mercury poisoning. A few months later, Dr. Wetterhan was dead. Coal-fired power plants are by far the largest emitters of mercury in the United States."
"Exhibit A: On Sunday, The New York Times reported that the administration is planning to roll back mercury regulations on coal-fired power plants. Mercury, as most people know, is one of the most toxic substances on earth. It is potentially harmful to everyone, but pregnant women and children are by far the most vulnerable. How toxic is mercury? Consider this: In 1997, Dr. Karen Wetterhan, a researcher at Dartmouth College, accidentally spilled a single drop of dimethylmercury, a highly concentrated form often used in lab research, on her hand. She didn’t worry about it — she was wearing latex gloves. She washed the mercury off immediately and didn’t think about it again until five months later, when she began bumping into walls and slurring her words. Her doctors were not able to diagnose what was wrong, then she told them about the drop of mercury. They did a blood test: mercury poisoning. A few months later, Dr. Wetterhan was dead. Coal-fired power plants are by far the largest emitters of mercury in the United States."
October 1, 2018
How We Know Kavanaugh Is Lying
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/09/how-we-know-kavanaugh-is-lying
"This man should not serve another day as any kind of judge"
"This man should not serve another day as any kind of judge"
If the Senate Applies the Jeff Flake Standard, Brett Kavanaugh Must Be Rejected
https://www.thenation.com/article/if-the-senate-applies-the-jeff-flake-standard-brett-kavanaugh-must-be-rejected/
"The Republican senator says evidence of lying to the Judiciary Committee should prevent confirmation of Trump’s pick."
"The Republican senator says evidence of lying to the Judiciary Committee should prevent confirmation of Trump’s pick."
Kavanaugh Lied to the Judiciary Committee—Repeatedly
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/kavanaugh-lied-senate-judiciary-committee.html
"Some of his lies, about the testimony of witnesses and the integrity of investigations, go to the heart of our system of justice. Any senator who votes to put this man on the Supreme Court is saying that such lies don’t matter."
"Some of his lies, about the testimony of witnesses and the integrity of investigations, go to the heart of our system of justice. Any senator who votes to put this man on the Supreme Court is saying that such lies don’t matter."
Jeff Flake Says Brett Kavanaugh's Nomination Is 'Over' If He Lied to the Senate. So What Are We Still Doing Here?
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23545277/jeff-flake-brett-kavanaugh-lies-committee-fbi-investigation/
"a lack of concern for what is true is a dangerous attribute for any judge—much less one who seeks to help wield the definitive, crushing power of the Supreme Court."
"a lack of concern for what is true is a dangerous attribute for any judge—much less one who seeks to help wield the definitive, crushing power of the Supreme Court."
Brett Kavanaugh can’t stop lying
https://thinkprogress.org/brett-kavanaugh-cant-stop-lying-to-senators-about-big-and-small-details-c3731bb128af/
"The U.S. Supreme Court nominee keeps lying about things that can be easily debunked."
"The U.S. Supreme Court nominee keeps lying about things that can be easily debunked."
Whitewash Week Has Officially Begun for Brett Kavanaugh and His Allies
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23549349/brett-kavanaugh-whitewash-week/
"The White House, of course, has both thumbs, both feet, and a bag of cannonballs on the scale."
"The White House, of course, has both thumbs, both feet, and a bag of cannonballs on the scale."
Brett Kavanaugh’s Fox News Interview Is Now Testimony Under Oath
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/brett-kavanaughs-fox-news-interview-731612/
"The SCOTUS nominee also responds in the affirmative when the questioner asks if Kavanaugh understands that entering his answers to Fox News as testimony means that he is “subject to felony prosecution if you’re lying"."
"The SCOTUS nominee also responds in the affirmative when the questioner asks if Kavanaugh understands that entering his answers to Fox News as testimony means that he is “subject to felony prosecution if you’re lying"."
Jeff Flake doesn't need an FBI investigation to prove Kavanaugh is a liar, just his eyes and ears
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/1/1800552/-Jeff-Flake-doesn-t-need-an-FBI-investigation-to-prove-Kavanaugh-is-a-liar-just-his-eyes-and-ears
"What we learned in all these hours of testimony from Kavanaugh is that he cannot NOT lie. He's lied on really big stuff. He's lied on really little stuff. He's gone out of his way to lie about things that are easily disproved, like the drinking age in Maryland. Or emails that came from his very own White House email account. When cornered, when questioned, or when challenged he either lies or he becomes belligerent and bullying, like when he attacked Sen. Amy Klobuchar for her questioning on his alcohol use. Kavanaugh's need to lie is bordering on pathological. We don't need an FBI investigation to show that. Jeff Flake doesn't need an FBI investigation to discover it. He watched it with his own eyes. If he doesn't believe his own eyes, then clearly he's not acting in good faith."
"What we learned in all these hours of testimony from Kavanaugh is that he cannot NOT lie. He's lied on really big stuff. He's lied on really little stuff. He's gone out of his way to lie about things that are easily disproved, like the drinking age in Maryland. Or emails that came from his very own White House email account. When cornered, when questioned, or when challenged he either lies or he becomes belligerent and bullying, like when he attacked Sen. Amy Klobuchar for her questioning on his alcohol use. Kavanaugh's need to lie is bordering on pathological. We don't need an FBI investigation to show that. Jeff Flake doesn't need an FBI investigation to discover it. He watched it with his own eyes. If he doesn't believe his own eyes, then clearly he's not acting in good faith."
Trump’s EPA makes ‘sneaky’ move to hamstring its children’s health office
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-epas-sneaky-new-move-in-its-war-on-childrens-health-74fc9f55ce84/
"Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Andrew Wheeler isn’t going to end Trump’s war on children’s health. But the former coal lobbyist does have sneakier tactics than his much-investigated predecessor Scott Pruitt. Wheeler has put the Director of the Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP), Dr. Ruth Etzel, on administrative leave without explanation. Etzel, as the EPA’s website notes, is an award-winning pediatrician and public health expert whose career “to protect children from hazards in the environment” spans three decades. “This seems like a sneaky way for the E.P.A. to get rid of this program and not be upfront about it,” as Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha told the New York Times. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is the pediatrician whose tests of children’s blood revealed elevated lead levels in Flint Michigan’s water. And a former EPA official called the move “highly unusual.” The Trump EPA has been working to undermine the children’s health office for a while, according to several people in and out of the agency who spoke to the Times. For instance, the paper reports that since July, the EPA has stalled a year-long effort by the OCHP to develop an inter-agency strategy to cut children’s lead exposure. What’s especially worrisome with this is that children are much more vulnerable to pollution and toxins than adults because key organs are still developing, they put things in their mouth (like lead paint), and “they eat more, drink more, and breathe more in proportion to their body size,” as the OCHP website explains."
"Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Andrew Wheeler isn’t going to end Trump’s war on children’s health. But the former coal lobbyist does have sneakier tactics than his much-investigated predecessor Scott Pruitt. Wheeler has put the Director of the Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP), Dr. Ruth Etzel, on administrative leave without explanation. Etzel, as the EPA’s website notes, is an award-winning pediatrician and public health expert whose career “to protect children from hazards in the environment” spans three decades. “This seems like a sneaky way for the E.P.A. to get rid of this program and not be upfront about it,” as Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha told the New York Times. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is the pediatrician whose tests of children’s blood revealed elevated lead levels in Flint Michigan’s water. And a former EPA official called the move “highly unusual.” The Trump EPA has been working to undermine the children’s health office for a while, according to several people in and out of the agency who spoke to the Times. For instance, the paper reports that since July, the EPA has stalled a year-long effort by the OCHP to develop an inter-agency strategy to cut children’s lead exposure. What’s especially worrisome with this is that children are much more vulnerable to pollution and toxins than adults because key organs are still developing, they put things in their mouth (like lead paint), and “they eat more, drink more, and breathe more in proportion to their body size,” as the OCHP website explains."
Hurricane Florence Released Tons of Coal Ash in North Carolina. Now the Coal Industry Wants Less Regulation.
https://theintercept.com/2018/09/28/north-carolina-coal-ash-hurricane-florence/
"EVEN AS COAL ash storage basins are leaking massive amounts of pollution in the wake of Hurricane Florence, the coal industry is working on a novel legal strategy to stop the federal regulation of this toxic byproduct of coal combustion. The very same week that coal ash turned some river water in North Carolina into gray pudding and the pollution amassed to the point that it could be seen from space, coal companies have been successfully limiting their liability for this contamination under the Clean Water Act. The coal industry was already enjoying a banner year under the Trump administration — one capped by the rollback of a 2015 Environmental Protection Agency rule that had set basic limitations on the disposal of coal ash. The waste contains carcinogens and neurotoxins, including arsenic, boron, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, lithium, and mercury, and is often stored in unlined pits. The 2015 rule required that any coal ash storage facility within five feet of a groundwater aquifer be closed. The new rule, which the EPA finalized in July, extended the time coal companies have to close those ash ponds by 12 months, allowed states to suspend the monitoring of some groundwater near coal ash waste sites, and removed a requirement that only engineers can sign off on changes to coal ash ponds."
"EVEN AS COAL ash storage basins are leaking massive amounts of pollution in the wake of Hurricane Florence, the coal industry is working on a novel legal strategy to stop the federal regulation of this toxic byproduct of coal combustion. The very same week that coal ash turned some river water in North Carolina into gray pudding and the pollution amassed to the point that it could be seen from space, coal companies have been successfully limiting their liability for this contamination under the Clean Water Act. The coal industry was already enjoying a banner year under the Trump administration — one capped by the rollback of a 2015 Environmental Protection Agency rule that had set basic limitations on the disposal of coal ash. The waste contains carcinogens and neurotoxins, including arsenic, boron, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, lithium, and mercury, and is often stored in unlined pits. The 2015 rule required that any coal ash storage facility within five feet of a groundwater aquifer be closed. The new rule, which the EPA finalized in July, extended the time coal companies have to close those ash ponds by 12 months, allowed states to suspend the monitoring of some groundwater near coal ash waste sites, and removed a requirement that only engineers can sign off on changes to coal ash ponds."
Trump Tax Plan 2.0 Cements the Worst Economic Policy in a Generation
https://truthout.org/articles/trump-tax-plan-2-0-cements-the-worst-economic-policy-in-a-generation/
"Consolidating wealth at the top of the income spectrum is not a stated goal of the tax plan, but it is the effect. Taken together with decades of compounding income and wealth inequality, tax plan 2.0 deals a serious blow to the possibility of economic mobility in this country. The richest one percent of Americans now take home an average of 26 times as much income as the bottom 99 percent. In 2016, it would have taken a middle-income worker 347 years at a large corporation to earn as much as the CEO earned in a single year. It didn’t used to be that way: In 1980, it would have taken that worker 40 years to earn as much as the CEO. And average wages for the lowest income workers have actually declined, after adjusting for inflation, since 1979."
"Consolidating wealth at the top of the income spectrum is not a stated goal of the tax plan, but it is the effect. Taken together with decades of compounding income and wealth inequality, tax plan 2.0 deals a serious blow to the possibility of economic mobility in this country. The richest one percent of Americans now take home an average of 26 times as much income as the bottom 99 percent. In 2016, it would have taken a middle-income worker 347 years at a large corporation to earn as much as the CEO earned in a single year. It didn’t used to be that way: In 1980, it would have taken that worker 40 years to earn as much as the CEO. And average wages for the lowest income workers have actually declined, after adjusting for inflation, since 1979."
Stay of Execution for Yellowstone Grizzly Bears as Court Rules Trump Admin Illegally Gutted Protections
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/09/25/stay-execution-yellowstone-grizzly-bears-court-rules-trump-admin-illegally-gutted
"First Nations tribes and green groups celebrated a federal court's ruling late Monday that the Trump administration acted illegally when it gutted the Endangered Species Act's (ESA) protections for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone National Park region."
"First Nations tribes and green groups celebrated a federal court's ruling late Monday that the Trump administration acted illegally when it gutted the Endangered Species Act's (ESA) protections for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone National Park region."
How Feedback Loops Are Driving Runaway Climate Change
https://truthout.org/articles/how-feedback-loops-are-driving-runaway-climate-change/
"NOAA’s 2017 Arctic Report Card states unequivocally that the Arctic “shows no sign of returning to reliably frozen region of recent past decades.” The Executive Summary of the report also adds, “Arctic paleo-reconstructions, which extend back millions of years, indicate that the magnitude and pace of the 21st century sea-ice decline and surface ocean warming is unprecedented in at least the last 1,500 years and likely much longer.” A recent report from National Geographic revealed that some of the ground in the Arctic is no longer freezing, even during the winter. Along with causing other problems, this will become yet another feedback loop in the Arctic, causing yet more greenhouse gasses to be released from permafrost than are already being released and impacting the entire planet."
"NOAA’s 2017 Arctic Report Card states unequivocally that the Arctic “shows no sign of returning to reliably frozen region of recent past decades.” The Executive Summary of the report also adds, “Arctic paleo-reconstructions, which extend back millions of years, indicate that the magnitude and pace of the 21st century sea-ice decline and surface ocean warming is unprecedented in at least the last 1,500 years and likely much longer.” A recent report from National Geographic revealed that some of the ground in the Arctic is no longer freezing, even during the winter. Along with causing other problems, this will become yet another feedback loop in the Arctic, causing yet more greenhouse gasses to be released from permafrost than are already being released and impacting the entire planet."
The soaring cost of climate change, especially for the U.S.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/30/1771160/-The-soaring-cost-of-climate-change-especially-for-the-U-S "A new study delivers more bad news about climate change: The U.S. is second only to India in experiencing the negative economic consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. The study projects the loss to be a whopping $250 billion a year in this country alone. The study, by researchers at the University of California at San Diego and published in Nature Climate Change, looks at the social cost of carbon, or SCC, a commonly employed metric of the expected economic damages from carbon dioxide emissions. A basic definition of the social cost of carbon is the measure, in dollars, of the long-term damage done by the release of a metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions in a given year. The study measured the effects of the social cost of carbon on each of the world’s nearly 200 countries. The four countries with the highest economic losses from the social cost of carbon are India, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Brazil. China, the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, places fifth. The U.S. cost was put at $48 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions, while most countries, especially those in more northern latitudes, had costs of $10 or less per ton of CO2 emissions. Why does this matter, besides the obvious conclusion that climate change is costing the world a lot of money in addition to the damage to our individual health and the health of the planet? Because Donald Trump’s administration wants to scale back the regulations now in place for greenhouse gas emissions."
Taibbi: Why Aren’t We Talking More About Trump’s Nihilism?
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-white-house-climate-change-731440/
"The White House now says we might as well pollute because global catastrophe is inevitable"
"The White House now says we might as well pollute because global catastrophe is inevitable"
Mercury Can Cause Brain Damage In Kids. The EPA Wants To Weaken Rules On Its Emissions.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mercury-epa-mats-rule_us_5bb21460e4b027da00d56346
"The proposal would not completely eliminate MATS, which sets limits on power plant emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. But it is “designed to put in place the legal justification for the Trump administration to weaken it and several other pollution rules,” and could open the door to a possible full repeal of the regulation, according to The New York Times."
"The proposal would not completely eliminate MATS, which sets limits on power plant emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. But it is “designed to put in place the legal justification for the Trump administration to weaken it and several other pollution rules,” and could open the door to a possible full repeal of the regulation, according to The New York Times."
More Proof Trump EPA 'Working for Coal Millionaires' as EPA Plan to Weaken Mercury Regulations Revealed
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/01/more-proof-trump-epa-working-coal-millionaires-epa-plan-weaken-mercury-regulations
"Acting EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler counted Murray's company, Murray Energy, among his clients when he worked as a lobbyist before entering government. Bill Wehrum, another top EPA official who authored the proposal, has also represented energy companies as a lawyer. "If finalized, this shameful plan would undermine standards that have already been widely implemented, exposing our kids to more toxic mercury and arsenic just so Andrew Wheeler and Bill Wehrum can appease a handful of their former clients in the coal industry," said Mary Ann Hitt, director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal program, in a statement. "If anyone needed further proof that Wheeler and Wehrum are still working for coal millionaires, this is it"."
"Acting EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler counted Murray's company, Murray Energy, among his clients when he worked as a lobbyist before entering government. Bill Wehrum, another top EPA official who authored the proposal, has also represented energy companies as a lawyer. "If finalized, this shameful plan would undermine standards that have already been widely implemented, exposing our kids to more toxic mercury and arsenic just so Andrew Wheeler and Bill Wehrum can appease a handful of their former clients in the coal industry," said Mary Ann Hitt, director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal program, in a statement. "If anyone needed further proof that Wheeler and Wehrum are still working for coal millionaires, this is it"."
Congress allows parks program to expire over the weekend
https://thinkprogress.org/congressional-republicans-zinke-allow-countrys-most-successful-conservation-program-to-expire-c2dc46eff642/
"The Republican-controlled Congress allowed the country’s most popular parks program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to expire Sunday. The lapse threatens access to public lands and water and leaves many potential projects in limbo. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is the most successful land conservation program in our nation’s history. Congress’s inability to prevent its expiration is a stunning failure and a betrayal of more than a half century of broad bipartisan support,” Colin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said in a statement. “America’s wildlife heritage, outdoor recreation opportunities and public lands are the envy of the world and drive our $887 billion recreation economy.” The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides funding to protect parks, forests, cultural heritage sites, and water resources, at zero expense to taxpayers. The fund, which is paid for through revenues from offshore drilling, was passed in 1964 and has financed projects in all 50 states."
"The Republican-controlled Congress allowed the country’s most popular parks program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to expire Sunday. The lapse threatens access to public lands and water and leaves many potential projects in limbo. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is the most successful land conservation program in our nation’s history. Congress’s inability to prevent its expiration is a stunning failure and a betrayal of more than a half century of broad bipartisan support,” Colin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said in a statement. “America’s wildlife heritage, outdoor recreation opportunities and public lands are the envy of the world and drive our $887 billion recreation economy.” The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides funding to protect parks, forests, cultural heritage sites, and water resources, at zero expense to taxpayers. The fund, which is paid for through revenues from offshore drilling, was passed in 1964 and has financed projects in all 50 states."
At the U.N., Trump finds the world literally laughing at him
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-un-trump-finds-the-world-literally-laughing-him
"The underlying claim is, of course, plainly absurd. American history features a great many accomplished presidents, but Donald Trump isn’t one of them, at least not yet. He secured a package of regressive and unpopular tax breaks, but in terms of meaningful successes of historic significance, the Republican amateur is a merely a legend in his own mind. But the trouble is, this president genuinely seems to believe in his own greatness, and when he routinely repeats the line at campaign rallies, Trump’s adoring fans tend to cheer, not scoff. He seemed surprised by the laughter at the General Assembly probably because he’s so unaccustomed to speaking to an audience that has no use for his more ridiculous boasts."
"The underlying claim is, of course, plainly absurd. American history features a great many accomplished presidents, but Donald Trump isn’t one of them, at least not yet. He secured a package of regressive and unpopular tax breaks, but in terms of meaningful successes of historic significance, the Republican amateur is a merely a legend in his own mind. But the trouble is, this president genuinely seems to believe in his own greatness, and when he routinely repeats the line at campaign rallies, Trump’s adoring fans tend to cheer, not scoff. He seemed surprised by the laughter at the General Assembly probably because he’s so unaccustomed to speaking to an audience that has no use for his more ridiculous boasts."
Fox News Edits Out the United Nations Laughing at Trump from Clips of His Embarrassing Speech to the General Assembly @alternet
Fox News Edits Out the United Nations Laughing at Trump from Clips of His Embarrassing Speech to the General Assembly @alternet:
"The right-wing propaganda outlet is doing its best to warp reality in the president's favor."
"The right-wing propaganda outlet is doing its best to warp reality in the president's favor."
UN literally laughs at Trump during speech
https://thinkprogress.org/united-nations-laughs-at-trump-video-4a6d85d2d8fb/
"Before he ran for president, Trump bashed Obama for allegedly being “a laughing stock to the entire World"."
"Before he ran for president, Trump bashed Obama for allegedly being “a laughing stock to the entire World"."
September 29, 2018
The lies that senators must tell themselves to support Brett Kavanaugh
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2018/09/28/the-lies-senators-must-tell-themselves-support-brett-kavanaugh/3Jy8vwnRx5PUwQtVHN3M5O/story.html
"Make no mistake: Brett Kavanaugh’s a liar. He lies about little things. He lies about big things. He lies under oath."
"Make no mistake: Brett Kavanaugh’s a liar. He lies about little things. He lies about big things. He lies under oath."
Every time Ford and Kavanaugh dodged a question, in one chart
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/28/17914308/kavanaugh-ford-question-dodge-hearing-chart
"Ford made an effort to answer every single question. Kavanaugh actively dodged questions. He often repeated the same non-answer over and over. Other times, he insisted on answering a question with “context” — which inevitably was a long story about his childhood — but never actually answered the question."
"Ford made an effort to answer every single question. Kavanaugh actively dodged questions. He often repeated the same non-answer over and over. Other times, he insisted on answering a question with “context” — which inevitably was a long story about his childhood — but never actually answered the question."
In Plain Terms, Judge Brett Kavanaugh Lies About Everything
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23511160/brett-kavanaugh-lies-about-everything/
"In plain terms, for all his spleen and outrage, Judge Kavanaugh lies about everything. In his earlier hearings, he lied about his judicial philosophy, and he lied about his days as a Republican operative, both in and out of the White House. On Monday, he lied to Martha McCallum of Fox News. On Thursday, he lied about his entire adolescence and his college days. He lied even when he didn't have to lie. He lied in preposterous ways easily disproven by common sense. (The "Devil's Triangle"? "Renate Alumnius"?) He lied like a toddler, like a guilty adolescent, and like a privileged scion of the white ruling class, which is a continuum with which we all are far too familiar. He lied and he dared the Democratic members of the committee, and the country, to call him on his lies. And now, he is a couple of easy steps away from having lied his way into a lifetime seat on the United States Supreme Court. This guy is going to be deciding constitutional issues for the next four decades, and the truth is not in him."
"In plain terms, for all his spleen and outrage, Judge Kavanaugh lies about everything. In his earlier hearings, he lied about his judicial philosophy, and he lied about his days as a Republican operative, both in and out of the White House. On Monday, he lied to Martha McCallum of Fox News. On Thursday, he lied about his entire adolescence and his college days. He lied even when he didn't have to lie. He lied in preposterous ways easily disproven by common sense. (The "Devil's Triangle"? "Renate Alumnius"?) He lied like a toddler, like a guilty adolescent, and like a privileged scion of the white ruling class, which is a continuum with which we all are far too familiar. He lied and he dared the Democratic members of the committee, and the country, to call him on his lies. And now, he is a couple of easy steps away from having lied his way into a lifetime seat on the United States Supreme Court. This guy is going to be deciding constitutional issues for the next four decades, and the truth is not in him."
Brett Kavanaugh lies a lot
http://www.alreporter.com/2018/09/28/opinion-brett-kavanaugh-lies-a-lot/
"Brett Kavanaugh is a liar. Let’s get that straight right off the bat. He’s a stone cold, look-you-in-the-eye-and-lie liar."
"Brett Kavanaugh is a liar. Let’s get that straight right off the bat. He’s a stone cold, look-you-in-the-eye-and-lie liar."
With Nation Transfixed By Kavanaugh Monstrosity, House GOP Votes to Give Rich Another $3 Trillion in Tax Cuts @alternet
With Nation Transfixed By Kavanaugh Monstrosity, House GOP Votes to Give Rich Another $3 Trillion in Tax Cuts @alternet:
"With the nation's attention rightly transfixed by the Senate GOP's monstrous efforts to ram through a Supreme Court nominee who has been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual assault, House Republicans on Friday voted overwhelmingly to approve another $3 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans just weeks before the November midterms."
"With the nation's attention rightly transfixed by the Senate GOP's monstrous efforts to ram through a Supreme Court nominee who has been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual assault, House Republicans on Friday voted overwhelmingly to approve another $3 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans just weeks before the November midterms."
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